Detection and partial characterization of circulating immune complexes in hydatid disease

Thirty sera from eight patients with disseminated or localized hydatid disease have been examined for the presence of circulating immune complexes (CICs) by the conglutinin-binding assay and for immunoglobulin levels. The highest levels of CICs were of the immunoglobulin A (IgA) class, with lower values of IgG-CIC and IgM-CIC; these results did not correlate, except for IgG, with the free immunoglobulin levels. Efforts to identify parasitic antigen(s) involved in the CIC formation with different methods have been unsuccessful. In the follow-up of each patient, CIC appeared to be better correlated to clinical conditions than to hemagglutination titers. We have concluded that the presence of CIC in hydatid disease is probably an expression of B-cell polyclonal activation and that these complexes are valuable in the clinical monitoring of the disease.